The Demons in the Dark
by JetravenEx
Summary: Sequel to chquine-harvinellisse Exedra's Apprentice. After reaching his goal, instead of finding closure and peace like Masquerade had hoped, dark secrets are revealed and the balance of Vestroia is thrown into chaos. Masquerade and his allies struggle to keep the realms together while an enemy looms to destroy the stargazer and all he cares about once and for all.


A/N Alright, so here's the story peeps, this is the sequel to chquine-harvinellisse's story Exedra's Apprentice. So i recommend going and reading her story first before continuing.

This story takes place about a month or so after the ending at Exedra's Apprentice.

* * *

Chapter 1

Late on a dark rainy night, two hooded figures dressed in large brown robes wandered the empty streets of a town headed toward a nearby tavern. A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky briefly illuminating the sign posted on the front: 'Gil's Tavern'.

The twosome hurried to the door opening it and darting quickly inside. The inside was much more lively than the wet dreary world outside. The place was alight with activity, men playing poker, and men drinking, off in the corner a few of the larger men were enjoying a game of arm wrestling.

The shorter figure stepped back hiding partially behind the hooded figure that'd entered first as eyes were cast in their direction. Though no one made any move to confront them, too absorbed, in their drinking and gambling. The first figure turned to the shorter one and nodded encouragingly, then the two began making their way to the bar, where a man with pale skin and red hair stood behind the wiping a glass with a towel. He looked up as the two approached and placed the glass aside.

"What can I get for ya?" He asked leaning forward over the bar.

Neither of the hooded figures spoke, just pulled back the sleeve of their robes revealing a darkus mark and a ventus mark on their forearms.

Gil, the bartender subtly nodded glancing around to see if anyone was paying attention as the two covered up their forearms, looking up expectantly at Gil, their faces completely concealed by the shadows from their hoods. Glancing around once more to ensure that the other occupants were either too drunk to notice anything or preoccupied at the moment, and then Gil motioned towards a closed door next to the bar. The twosome nodded and then headed over to it, skirting around the bar and around one knocked out drunken man half laying half sitting on the floor, the shorter one making a soft sound of disgust. The taller one glanced back and the shorter one came up beside him.

"Of all the places why here?" The figure muttered, the voice determining that the figure was female.

The taller figure straightened up a reached a hand out to grasp the door handle. "You would be wise not to question the master's orders," He reminded in a hushed twisting the door handle and pushing slightly the door opening inwards revealing a dark room. The taller figure stepped to the side to allow the female one in before entering as well and closing the door as silently as he could behind them.

As soon as the door shut, and the darkness settled around them, did a small purple flash ignite near the end of the room, and a small orb of bright purple energy hang in the air above, revealing a wooden table and a dark shadowy figure seated behind it he orb's light reflected in his dark eyes. He scanned the two figures with an expression similar to a wolf with a juicy doe in sight.

"Do you have it?" The figure rasped, his voice gruff and sounding scratchy.

The two figures neared the table and bowed their heads in respect to the one behind the desk, before they both reached into their robes and pulled out two documents. The 'master' leaned forward to examine the documents before he chuckled white teeth flashing.

"Wonderful,"

X-X-X

Masquerade sighed as he stared up at the starry sky. He was standing on the balcony outside his room in the Darkus palace. It had been a long grueling day sitting through the conference that had occurred among the notable people of the Darkus realm, being briefed by Skylord of the guardians' newest decree.

In the celebration of the 300 years of peace that had been holding up between the 6 attribute worlds of Vestroia, the guardians wanted to take it one step further now.

They wanted to further improve relations between the dimensions so that there would be less fear hanging over the lives of the people. They decided to do this... By opening up a school that would hold candidates selected from each of the dimensions. As of no there were no limits set at the moment of how many candidates would be allowed to attend as each of the dimensions barely had 10 various schools a piece to select candidates from. Meaning so far there were only 60 students going in. Not counting the six that the apprentices would handpick themselves.

Masquerade had been told he had the end of the week to select someone to send to the school to act as his ambassador.

"But who to choose?" He mused resting his chin on his hand as he considered the possibilities. even though his 'circle of friends' had grown he still didn't have a whole lot to choose from.

Ren had finally gone to see the Haos Princess Fabia, and would not be returning till gods knows when, and Masquerade didn't really want to bother him with it.

Ace was far too busy reworking his wedding that had now been put on hold due to the Subterra Aprrentice Julie sending her fiancé to the school, and Mira, as one of the Subterra Apprentices closest friends, had been requested to accompany her to the celebration of the school's opening.

And Keith was absolutely out of the question. Not only was he too old now to be selected, Skylord had made it clear that he was not allowed to traverse between dimensions without her approval. Presently it seemed she might not even give him the okay to even be at his sister's _wedding_.

Thus putting Masquerade in this dilemma.

Normally he'd have just said Alice, right off the bat, but. He clenched his fists and looked down at the railing. That was impossible now. Shaking his head he looked back at the sky imploring the stars to tell him what he should do.

"Ah, I thought id find you out here." Masquerade twisted to his left to see Skylord resting calmly on the ground under the balcony. He raised an eyebrow, it was unusual for the temporary Darkus Guardian to visit him. Typically she just left him to his own devices, due to him being 'Exedra's Apprentice' and not her apprentice. "What do you think of the guardians decree?" Skylord inquired.

Masquerade shrugged. "It sounds like it could be a step in the right direction." He said. "Though I don't fully understand why the guardians are so worried, I mean, so the darkus realm isn't exactly a magnet for outsiders, so what? That's the way we like it." He said focusing on the stars.

"Ah, is that what you really think is the reason?" Skylord inquired raising an eyeridge at him,

Masquerade frowned and turned to face her. "Is there another reason?" He asked

Skylord spread her wings and took to the air flying over Masquerade's head spinning slightly around the constellations that hung above them. She landed on his other side and folded her wings around herself her eyes closed. "Yes," She opened her eyes and gazed up at the sky frowning slightly. "With Exedra's death, and you going without a master to mentor you as the apprentice to protect the attribute of Darkus, they fear an uprising from us." She said.

Masquerade cocked his head as he looked up at the sky, searching for what it was that was troubling her so. "But you are here Lady Skylord, I doubt you'd allow something to happen." He said. "And the stars are not conveying any ill omen, so why the concern?"

Skylord sighed closing her eyes. Then she chuckled and opened them again folding her arms across her chest as she spread her wings again. "You are right Masquerade, perhaps it is me getting dredged up in the past," She flapped her wings once so that she was hovering slightly over the ground. "It is late, we have tasks that require completion come tomorrow, rest well Darkus Stargazer, for the politics of this job is going to kick in any second."

Masquerade frowned. "What is this about the past?"

Skylord raised an eyeridge and then muttered a soft curse. "That is something that can wait another time, it is unimportant, do not bother yourself with it. Instead focus on who you will send from our realm to enter the school." She flapped her wings again and turned to face away from him. "Good Night Dark Skygazer." Skylord beat her wings taking off away from the balcony disappearing into the night.

Masquerade frowned and rested his arms on the balcony as he resumed gazing at the stars searching for a clue to Skylord's unease. He smiled as he gazed up at the glimmering lights, and was comforted by the presence of the star with the slight purple glow that shone brightly among the rest. His gaze travelled through the sky, plotting out the constellations in his mind as he went before a light erupted from the corner of his eye and his eyes widened in shock as a star fell across the sky in a blaze of light. He tracked it with his eyes before it fell away out of sight.

"A falling star?" Masquerade mused. "What could that mean?" Then he looked to where he'd last seen the star fall and his eyebrows furrowed when his gaze found a star that seemed to blaze like a tiny pinprick of blue fire. The star was separate from all the others, though it glowed with a radiance that put it on par with Alice's star.

He cocked his head as he stared up at it. "What are you?" He asked into the silence, a breeze causing his hair to dance along with the wind. "What are you trying to tell me?" he gripped the railing of the balcony for a moment before he sighed shaking his head. "I need to rest." He turned away from the sky and headed back into his quarters deciding it was best to get as much rest as he could to prepare for whatever tomorrow would bring his way.

/-/

Skylord landed outside a cavern that lay within the dark mountains in the realm. Glancing around once she entered and began the trek towards the center of the largest of the mountains. Once there a portal blazed to life before her, spreading her wings she flew in and landed inside a temple.

The temple was all white, representing the color of the neutral realm that acted as the glue that forever bound the attribute realms together. Inside the temple 6 thrones circled the area which led up to the domed ceiling adorned with paintings in honor of the ancient guardians who came before. And in the center, was two stone statues facing each other with a large glowing orb floating in between the two.

A lovely wyvern like dragoness stood made of ivory with a golden band wrapped around her neck, two smaller dragons frolicking at her feet.

Across from her standing with its snout pointed in the air it's ruby eyes gleaming in the light, stood a black dragon standing on all fours, silver bands encircling each of her claws. The orb was a glass orb that contained a swirling mixture of colors within.

Surrounding the two statues perched upon their thrones were the other 5 guardians, Apollonir, Clayf, Lars Lion, Frosch, and Oberus were all dressed in their traditional robes and masks.

"Ah, Skylord how good of you to join us." Apollonir began gesturing to the throne across from him which Skylord lighted down upon. "How is the Darkus Realm?"

"Fine," Skylord replied tartly her eyes narrowing. "I am however interested to hear the reasoning why a meeting between all the guardians was deemed necessary." She spat.

Apollonir sighed. "We gather here to discuss a grave matter, while I am not one to judge Exedra's choice in apprentice, I cannot deny that his choice… Does not bode well with me."

Skylord arched an eyeridge, "And why is that? The boy is a fine candidate, a little rough around the edges but with a little time he should be fine."

"Without there being any guidance from you Skylord?" Lars Lion inquired as the dragoness snarled slightly. "We all know the boys track record isn't the best, he's already slaughtered a mob of people-"

"I thought we've been over this!" Skylord snapped lashing her tail so that it slammed against her stone throne with a loud smack! "Exedra chose Masquerade before his death, despite that. Thus your suggestion is irrelevant since Exedra deemed him worthy even despite that. He spared the fool who killed his sister and I think that proves just how good he is." She narrowed her eyes and fixed each of the five with a glare daring them to rebute her statement.

The five exchanged looks before Apollonir spoke once again. "You misunderstand our fears Skylord, the boy is fine, but we fear that without guidance he will be… corrupted."

"He is still young enough and is still in the impressionable time. He could become twisted." Frosch warned.

Skylord scoffed rearing back slightly. "Ha! I laugh at the idea! Masquerade is one of the noblest humans I have come to meet, and besides despite the loss of his sister, she serves as a beacon of light that prevents him from straying down the wrong path to corruption." She narrowed her eyes. "No, what I think you all are afraid of is the entity that Masquerade takes power from, you fear the thought of Reaper, ascending to become Guardian after Masquerade passes away."

"He was a general in the doom army!" Clayf bellowed slamming the end of his axe down the temple shaking with the impact. "He fought alongside your evil guardian to conquer Vestroia!"

Skylord snorted. "And he chose his true loyalty in the end, to say that says that my mother, the one who _saved _Vestroia is evil and was untrustworthy of the rank she ascended to after destroying that dictator!" She narrowed her eyes into slits. "I've heard enough! The darkus realm has suffered greatly from the effects of the great war despite my mother and Exedra's efforts!" She rose out of her throne. "I will not have you take it out on the darkus people of the present, this conversation is over!" She said turning and leaving ignoring the murmuring the other guardians spoke between each other. She growled flying towards the wall of the temple a portal opening as she approached. Skylord flew through it wincing slightly before she flew out of the cavern that held the portal.

Skylord spread her wings as she soared over the mountains and lifted her head to gaze up at the sky.

"I will not let your efforts go to waste mother, I will make you proud." She vowed her eyes reflecting the glow of the stars. "Wherever you are,"

* * *

A/N what do you think?

Please leave your comments and thoughts in a review so i can know what needs to be changed to make it better.


End file.
